Friendsim 2 – Official Strategy Guide

This is the official guide to the game, written by the developers. It will definitely have spoilers!

Guide to Strategy

All credit goes to Studio June Games!

About the Game

Friendsim 2 is an episodic visual novel developed and published by Studio June Games. Its first volume was published on April 13th, 2022, with updates approximately once a month until all 14 volumes are released.

Friendsim 2 is primarily a visual novel, featuring a novel-length script with fully voiced dialogue (although narration is unvoiced). The core gameplay centers around interacting with a variety of characters from the Hiveswap franchise and making decisions that branch the story at various points.

The game features two primary endings to each volume (called “Salvation” and “Revolution”), which carry on to subsequent volumes and impact future events in the story.

There are also numerous smaller decisions that may carry forward and be referenced in later volumes. The player’s saves store the persistent game state from the time of the save, including previous choices, allowing the player to maintain multiple saves in order to see how different actions affect the game’s outcome. They can also restart the game from the beginning of any previously completed volume, allowing them to branch the story in a different way.

In addition to the core visual novel gameplay, Friendsim 2 features a number of variant gameplay types in various volumes. These include an Ace Attorney-style investigation and trial sequence. In addition to this, various quick-time events and minigames present themselves throughout the game.

Plot

Set four and a half years (two sweeps, six perigees) after the events of Hiveswap: Friendsim, the story picks back up with MSPAR after they receive their First Guardian powers at the end of Pesterquest and create the locked timeline. Hoping to retrieve the friends they made during Friendsim from Alternia, MSPAR decides to use their newfound powers to teleport back to Alternia and pick everyone up and take them back to Earth.

Things do not go as planned.

Controls and Gameplay

Gameplay consists mainly of a visual novel with a variety of branching choices to make. Some of these choices will have far-reaching consequences on future volumes, so consider your choices carefully. If you save your game, all data about your choices, route completion, and other variables will be saved along with it. This allows you to maintain different save files that correspond with different possible branching choices.

There are times that the game will diverge from the standard visual novel gameplay. In these cases, a short explanation will be provided to help the player along.

Friendsim 2 is designed primarily to support mouse input.

Typically, interaction is handled by the left mouse button. There are a series of buttons on the bottom of the screen that control access to the game menus. One you have access to MSPAR’s palmhusk (phone), the device will also be accessible from the bottom menu by clicking on the phone icon.

The endings in each route roughly correspond to MSPAR trying to convince their old friends to leave Alternia and return to Earth with them (“Salvation”), or MSPAR working to help them fight back against the oppressive systems of the Empire (“Revolution”). Neither of these is a “bad” ending, just a different path forward. It’s up to the player to decide which path feels like it fits the situation better.

It is also possible to get various game-over states – these will result in a short sequence and then a chance to replay from a checkpoint. There’s no limit to how many times the player can fail and try again – the game won’t kick them back to the main menu.

Achievements

Achievements consist of one achievement each for the two major branching paths in each volume. In addition to this, some volumes will have a secret third achievement that unlocks through various criteria.

Prologue – How the Time Passes

The volume starts out a few years after Pesterquest, with MSPAR reflecting on the course their life has taken. They begin to wonder about their old friends back on Alternia from the first Friendsim. They’re interrupted by an unknown entity who begins to speak to them directly. Eventually, MSPAR reaches the conclusion that they can go back to Alternia to get their friends. Using their new First Guardian powers, they’ll step into the old timeline, retrieve their friends, and head back to Earth in the locked timeline.

As soon as MSPAR transports themselves back to the original timeline, they realize something is wrong. Characters talk to them as if they’ve been gone for a while, reacting with a combination of confusion, hurt, and anger. Their friends also seem to be in wildly different locations, causing MSPAR to teleport around seemingly at random. Finally, MSPAR arrives back near Outglut and wanders the streets, seeing the abandoned hives and wondering what happened. At the end of a long cul-de-sac, they find their old crashed ship, now overrun with creeping vines.

As MSPAR begins to panic at the realization that Alternia has changed in the last few years, they feel something familiar reaching out. Suddenly, they’re teleported to the Felt mansion and come face-to-face with Doc Scratch. Scratch explains that he’s not unhappy to see MSPAR, but that MSPAR doesn’t belong there. He offers to explain the situation to MSPAR, at which point they get the choice to return home (Bad Ending) or ignore what he’s saying. They then get to choose Salvation or Revolution (“Save everyone” or “Stick it to the man”), which has an effect on the ending of the volume and future volumes.

Enraged at the sudden turn of events and its potential impact on the timeline, Scratch hits MSPAR in the head with the Juju Breaker Crowbar, killing them instantly. But MSPAR finds themselves talking to a mysterious entity known only as the “Sylph of Space.” The Sylph explains that MSPAR has a long road in front of them, then sends them back to right before Scratch attacks, allowing them to avoid him and try to escape. As MSPAR fights with Scratch, the crowbar clips their leg, causing their powers to start to fail. With the last of their energy, MSPAR uses their powers to teleport away one final time.

• Salvation: MSPAR appears in the office where Tagora is and begins to explain the situation.
• Revolution: MSPAR appears in Tyzias’ room and quickly moves to explain what’s been happening.

Prologue – Guide

This volume is mostly linear, except for the branching choice for the ending. If you choose “I can’t go back” in the first decision you’ll get some extra dialogue and be asked to choose again. Choosing the same thing will result in a little bit of extra dialogue and the game shutting down.

When MSPAR appears in Scratch’s mansion, you can choose to listen to Scratch for some additional dialogue and references to some of the writers’ other works. If you choose to go back at this point, you’ll get a bad ending card and be offered the chance to re-do things.

Scratch will hit MSPAR with the Juju breaker and they will wake up in a white void talking to first member of the Council: The Sylph of Space, who represents the game’s director. At any point in the future if the player gets a game over, they will speak to the Council again. The Council will offer advice and return MSPAR to try again.

When MSPAR is returned from the first Council sequence, you will have to pass a quick-time event to avoid getting killed by Scratch again. One you pass the QTE sequence, the rest of the route is entirely linear.

Achievements

• “Sometimes…”: Choose the Salvation path in the Prologue.
• “…and sometimes…”: Choose the Revolution path in the Prologue.
• “Divergent Timeline”: Awarded for choosing the option to reset the game’s persistent data in the options menu. The least disruptive way to get this is to choose the option as soon as the game is installed.

Volume 1 – Implication Theater

MSPA Reader once more finds themselves on a mysterious spaceship, talking to either Tyzias or Tagora (depending on the path chosen in the previous route). After a short conversation, Tyzias and Tagora meet in the hallway and tell MSPAR to give them some privacy to talk. Wandering the ship, MSPAR runs into Galekh and talks to him for a bit, learning that this is his ship and that he and Tagora are about to formalize their kismesitude in something akin to a wedding.

Wandering the ship some more, MSPAR sees an open airlock door and investigates, only to find a bloody body lying there in the middle of the floor. Panicking, MSPAR flees the scene, only to run into Tagora, who is down in the cargo bay for unknown reasons. Tyzias and Galekh show up shortly, and Tagora is accused of murder and locked in the ship’s office. MSPAR must interview the various witnesses, eventually learning that Tagora and Galekh had a fight over the terms of their kismesis agreement, and that Tagora was talking to Tyzias about nullfying the agreement during the time when the murder took place.

After a trial, Tagora is exornerated, but the suspicion then falls on Tyzias, who Galekh believes committed a murder and tried to frame Tagora for it. MSPAR once again investigates, interviewing the witnesses and investigating the crime scene. They learn that Tyzias didn’t have access to a shower to wash up, casting doubt on her ability to brutally murder someone and remain spotless. Another trial takes place where MSPAR has to convince Galekh that it’s impossible for Tyzias to be the murderer. During the course of this investigation, you learn that Tyzias has been in contact with the Alternian rebellion.

Galekh has no idea what happened and asks MSPAR to investigate and find out the truth. During the final investigation sequence, MSPAR learns that a number of coincidences aligned to accidentally kill the person in the airlock while leaving the impression that a murder took place. Careful examination of the crime scene reveals that a loose knife slashed the throat of the maintenance worker during an accidental airlock decompression, leaving a unique pattern of blood splatters behind. Armed with this evidence, MSPAR goes to inform Galekh – but on the way, they are stopped by Tagora and Tyzias, who both ask for MSPAR to support their respective permissions.

In the Salvation path, MSPAR must lie to Galekh and convince him that someone is targeting him in order to convince him to leave Alternia. In the Revolution path, MSPAR needs to convince Galekh that the death was an accident. Regardless of which path was taken, MSPAR meets up with Tyzias, Stelsa, and Tagora and prepares to fly to the teal flagship, the Iustitia.

Volume 1 – Guide

The beginning of this volume is linear and depends on the ending chosen in the prologue, which will determine whether you get to speak to Tyzias or Tagora. After talking to them, you’ll wander the ship until you stumble on a dead body in the airlock, prompting you to decide whether or not to investigate it.

Investigating the body will result in a game over screen and loop you back to the choice. Choosing not to investigate right away will proceed the route in a linear fashion until Tagora is accused of murder.

At this point, the gameplay resembles that of the Ace Attorney games for the duration of the route. You will be able to move between locations and talk to witnesses at will (although some options won’t open up right away). You can also use your cursor to investigate certain objects in the environment to discover evidence and uncover flavor text.

There are three trial sequences, and you can’t proceed to the actual trial until you’ve gathered sufficient evidence to prove your case.

Investigation 1

• Talk to Tagora first (office)
• Invesigate the computer in the office to get the VitalTrack evidence
• Talk to Galekh (bridge), talk to Tyzias/Stelsa (observation)
• Go to the master respiteblock and investigate until you find the kismesisitude contract
• Talk to Galekh (bridge)
• Talk to Tagora (office) and get the palmhusk – from this point on you will be able to review evidence from your palmhusk and check Chittr to see more about the plot and the world around you. Chittr will remain available throughout the game, although the evidence screen won’t be present in routes that don’t use this mechanic.
• Talk to Galekh (bridge), begin the first trial

Trial 1

• In round 1, press Galekh on the first or second statement
• Present the evidence of the kismesis contract on the first or second revised statement, then present Galekh’s own statement when he objects
• In round 2, press Galekh on the first statement
• When Galekh revises his statement, present either the VitalTrack timestamp OR the chatlog with Tyzias, then present the other of these two pieces of evidence when Galekh objects

Investigation 2

Note: This is the fastest way through the investigation, but you’ll miss a lot of optional dialogue – if you want to learn more about the plot, be sure to talk to Galekh (bridge) and Tagora (observation)

• Talk to Tyzias (guest respiteblock)
• Investigate everything in the guest respiteblock, finding the following: lack of a shower, Tyzias’ notes
• Talk to Tyzias again (guest respiteblock) and confirm that she doesn’t have access to a shower
• Talk to Stelsa (airlock)
• Investigate the dead body and make a note of the large quantity of blood sprayed everywhere
• Investigate the blood splatters in between the body and the wall
• Talk to Tyzias (guest respiteblock) and mention that Stelsa is worried about her

Trial 2

Note: If you want the secret bad ending achievement, present Tyzias’ statement about the rebels at any point during this trial.

• In round 1, press Galekh on the first or third statements
• Present the evidence of Stelsa’s statement on the first or third revised statement
• In round 2, press Stelsa on her statements until Galekh pulls her off the stand – do NOT present evidence since none of it will help
• In round 3, press Galekh on his fourth statement
• When he revises his statement, present the blood evidence (blood splatters/blood on the suit), or “no ablution block”
• When Galekh objects, present the other piece of evidence (so if you presented the “no ablution block” present blood evidence or vice-versa)

Investigation 3

Note: If you want the secret bad ending achievement, present Tyzias’ statement mentioning the rebels at any point during this trial.

• Go to the observation deck and listen to Tagora and Stelsa talk
• Go to the airlock and talk to Tyzias
• Investigate everything in the airlock, revealing the following evidence: bloody handprint, blood splatters, blood on the airlock, open toolbox
• Go to the cargo bay and investigate the terminal and clipboard next to it, revealing: maintenance log, tool manifest
• Go to the guest respiteblock and listen to Tyzias and Stelsa
• Ask them if they have any idea what happened to get Stelsa’s statement
• Go to the master respiteblock and check the desk, then the office and check the bookcase (one of these will randomly have the amended kismesis agreement)
• Talk to Galekh (bridge) and ask for the access logs to the airlock, then ask why anyone would want him dead
• Go to airlock and check the access log panel again to get the airlock error code report

Note: Before going to the last trial, you’ll get a chance to pick the salvation (lie and say there was a murder) or revolution (say there wasn’t a murder) path. This will determine which version of the final trial you have to complete.

Trial 3 (Salvation)

• In round 1, press Galekh on the second statement
• Present the open toolbox or the manifest – when Galekh objects, present the other of these two pieces of evidence
• In round 2, press Tyzias on her second statement, then choose “The Empire”
• When Tyzias revises her statement, present the amended kismesis agreement
• When Galekh objects, present his own statement
• In round 3, press Galekh on his third statement
• On the revised statement, present the airlock access log
• Present the airlock error code
• Present the maintenance log

Trial 3 (Revolution)

• In round 1, press Galekh on his second statement
• Present Stelsa’s statement
• In round 2, press Tyzias on her second statement, then choose “the blood”
• Present the blood on the floor, then the blood on the airlock door
• Present either the open toolbox/manifest (either one is considered evidence of the knife’s existence) or the airlock error log, then present the other piece of evidence of these two when Galekh objects
• Present the bloody handprint
• In round 3, press Galekh on his first statement
• Present the amended Kismesis agreement

After the trial, the rest of the route will proceed in a linear path to the ending.

Achievements

• “Selfish Bastard Man”: Choose the Salvation path in Volume 1.
• “The Selfish Revolution”: Choose the Revolution path in Volume 1.
• “Darkest Timeline”: During the second or third trial sequences, present a piece of evidence that implies that Tyzias has been in contact with the rebels.